A great study on how the internet is affecting our lifes, our world, etc.
"The UCLA study will explain how the Internet is changing the world -- today, tomorrow, and 20 years from now," said Jeffrey Cole, director of the UCLA Center for Communication Policy and principal investigator of the study.
"Everyone either loves or hates the Internet, but there's no question that the impact of the Internet is real and profound -- certainly the most important communication technology of the generation to come," Cole said.
"The UCLA Internet Study will provide the first long-term exploration of how life is being transformed by computers and the Internet, with year-to-year comparisons of the social and cultural changes produced as people use this extraordinary technology. This study is also the first to analyze these broad questions about the Internet on a global scale." [via MediaSavvy]
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BigChampagne today announced plans to market its online music download data to radio stations to aid in programming. The big idea being that what people are downloading online is what they want to hear online. The company tracks file transfers from peer to peer networks like Kazaa and Gnutella.
This seems to me to be a great way to very quickly measure the trends in musical tastes. Far faster then any offline research and even daily telephone requests. Radio station programmers can now have access to real time musical popularity rankings allowing them to more quickly program to their audiences tastes.
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Here's another one of those little Advertising spoofs that, once again, illustrates the trials and tribulations and silliness that goes along with the creative process.
The funny thing, though, is that this is an actual ad run to promote a Canadian advertising awards show called The Bessies. It holds nothing back in it's portrayal of the creative process. If only our clients would allow us to be so honest when we create for them.
This one is from a creative team at Ogilvy and Mather in Toronto.
Quicktime Video: Only the Best Ideas Win
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ABC has renewed 'Alias' and 8 comedies for this upcoming Fall season. seems as though '8 simple Rules' has done quite well. I never watched it but I know Ritter is good and he can carry a show.
The network has made this decision 3 months earlier than normal which is a boon to the show's creators allowing them the time to better craft the shows.
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Some clients just don't have a sense of humor.
Rejected Magazine AD
Client: Spokane Symphony Orchestra.
Agency: Wendt Advertising.
Art Director: Carl Heidle. Writer: Tim Putnam. ACD: Cathy Wimmers.
Cause of Death: The ad was designed to run in a magazine targeting kids. The client contact loved it, but the Symphony's Board of Directors felt the ad promoted violence, and gave it the boot. [via
Ad Graveyard]
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FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE) Staples, Inc.today announced a new national advertising campaign launching its new brand promise: Staples makes buying office products easy. The new campaign introduces a new tagline Staples. that was easy., with two new commercials that will first appear on Sunday, March 2, during 60 Minutes on CBS.
The commercials highlight the first in a series of long-term operational, merchandising and cultural changes underway at Staples, designed to redefine the customer experience and differentiate the Staples brand. Each spot uses humor and empathy to feature a new customer program, or "easy trigger" that reflects Staples' customer-centric evolution. Each of the new business initiatives featured in the commercials is a key part of Staples' business strategy to provide an easy shopping experience.
"Staples' new advertising campaign illustrates our long-term strategy to truly make buying office products easy," said Shira Goodman, executive vice president of marketing for Staples. "Our new tagline, 'Staples. that was easy' goes far beyond an advertising campaign -- it represents a fundamental shift in our approach to selling office products. It is evolving the Staples brand and guiding every business decision that takes place at the company."
In the first spot, "Ink Cartridge Bingo" Staples introduces an industry-first ink and toner in-stock guarantee program. In the commercial, a crowd of frustrated small business people look for toner, as if finding the one they need is by chance and akin to winning bingo. The scene transitions to a quick encounter at Staples where the prize is quickly, easily and consistently won with the help of a friendly store associate.
"Based on customer research, 84 percent of small businesses surveyed said a critical aspect of shopping for office products is having the toner or ink cartridge they need in stock," said Goodman. "Staples now guarantees in-stock availability of every inkjet and toner cartridge currently stocked in its retail stores."
The second spot, "Meeting Paper Shuffle" begins with a presentation to colleagues gone awry due to grossly disorganized presentation handouts. The scene transitions to Staples' professional copying and printing with the introduction of a three-step quality process at Staples Copy & Print Centers nationwide.
"Our new work for Staples takes an experience that every small business person can relate to and exaggerates it," says John Karlson, senior vice president of strategic development for Martin|Williams Advertising. "It's humorous and memorable, and it differentiates Staples as a brand that makes life easier, saves time and delivers products consumers need and trust."
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Just like Xerox, Kleenex and Rollerblades wanted us to stop using those terms for the obvious activities they describe, Google's lawyers would like us to stop using Google as a term to describe the act of searching the web for something. It's a losing battle. Read all about it in Jason Kottke's post.
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Google is expanding its paid listing model beyond search results page and will allow advertisers to have AdWords appear on Google's content sites which include HowstuffWorks, Weather Undergound, and recently aquired Blogger.
Through new program, called "Content-Targeted AdWords," Google can syndicate its listings to Web sites beyond those with which it has long-term deals. The listings appear in the banner or skyscraper space on Web sites, a placement that obviates the need for costly re-designs, and they're tailored to the content on the page. Google's launch comes just days after Overture said it would roll out a similar offering this year.
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Having just won the Feruary sweeps for the 18-49 demo, Fox is on a roll. The network has just renewed '24' and has plans for a new 'Joe Millionaire'.
Who would have thought the "Married With Children' network would make it this far?
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